Preschool Swim Lessons (ages 3-5)

We want to build strong swimmers and confident kids. You will see new names but at the core are the same elements. Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills: swim, float, swim—sequencing front glide, roll, back float, roll, front glide, and exit—and jump, push, turn, grab.

In the first three lesson levels students are taught the recommended skills for all such as safe water habits, underwater exploration and how to swim to safety and exit if you fall into a body of water.

In the upper levels, swimmers are introduced to the four competitive swim strokes, rescue skills and healthy lifestyle habits. Activities, games and drills geared to reinforce learning are utilized heavily as students progress in this skill based approach.

Students will be taught at their own ability and “progressed up” when they have developed and mastered all skills for their current level.

1/Gold Fish (Water Acclimation)

2/Pike (Water Movement)

Continues work on swim basics. Encourages forward movement in water and basic self-rescue skills performed independently.

3/Eel (Water Stamina)

Continues work on swim basics, front and back. Develops intermediate self-rescue skills performed at longer distances than in previous stages.

4/Ray (Stroke Introduction)

5/Star Fish (Stroke Development)

Introduces and continues work on basic stroke technique in front and back crawl. Reinforces water safety through treading water and elementary backstroke. If your child is at these levels, please e-mail frances@rcymca.org for class placement options.

Wondering about appropriate level?

It is important for children to be in the correct level. Please don’t guess. If your child is new to our program, or you can’t remember what level they should be in, a quick e-mail to frances@rcymca.org will get you the answer generally within 24 hours. You may be asked to bring your child in for an in-the-water evaluation. To eliminate the risk of your child being removed from the wrong level, with no spots available in the correct level/time of your choice, please be sure you are signing your child up for the correct level.

Please refer to Membership Policies page for details on our transfer/cancellation policy. Make ups are not provided if your child is absent or if we are closed due to unforeseen circumstances.

All preschool classes are 30 minutes in length.

Two days/week classMember: $40Program participant: $65

One day/week classMember: $30Program participant: $55

Please use the wait list if the day/time you want is full - we do our best to accommodate.

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